A television-broadcasting system typically includes a traffic system that performs functions related to broadcast scheduling. For example, the traffic system may facilitate the creation of a traffic-log (log), which is a broadcast schedule for a given station during a given time period. The log may include multiple ordered log entries, each of which may correspond to a VC. Each log entry may also correspond to a start time, and therefore the log may generally represent the scheduled sequence of VCs intended to be broadcast.
There are several types of VCs, non-limiting examples of which include a show-segment VC, a commercial VC, and a promotion VC. A show-segment VC consists of at least a portion of a show, and potentially one or more commercials. A show may be, for example, an episode of a sitcom, a news program, or a movie. A commercial VC consists of a single commercial. Typically, a television-broadcasting company broadcasts a commercial VC in exchange for payment or other compensation from the provider of the commercial VC. A promotion VC consists of video that promotes something such as an event or another VC. Unlike a commercial VC, the television-broadcasting company typically does not receive a payment or other compensation from a third-party for broadcasting the promotion VC.
The traffic system may communicate with a master control system (MCS), which is the technical hub of a television-broadcasting system and is typically the final point before a VC is sent to an air-chain system for broadcast. More specifically, the traffic system typically communicates with an automation system of the MCS. The automation system is the logic center of the MCS and may cause the MCS and/or another entity to perform various functions.
Through a communication path, the traffic system may provide the log to the automation system such that the automation system may select and process log entries. The automation system may then cause one or more entities to perform certain functions for each selected log-entry at an appropriate time (e.g., at the corresponding start time). For example, the automation system may cause a recording-and-playout device (RAPD) to retrieve and playout a stored VC such that it may be channeled through one or more entities within the MCS (e.g., routers and switchers), and sent to an air-chain system for broadcast. In another example, the automation system may cause a streaming VC received from a streaming-video source to be channeled through the MCS and sent to the air-chain system for broadcast.
An example of a streaming-video source is a live-news-production source (LNPS), which is a component within a news production system (NPS). An NPS is a system configured to produce and/or output a news program in the form of multiple show-segment VCs such that when broadcast, the show-segment VCs may be separated by commercial or other VCs. Each show-segment VC may be output by the LNPS as it is produced, thereby allowing the news program to be broadcast “live.”
Producing a live news program may present certain challenges, particularly with respect to timing issues. For example, it may be challenging to ensure that the timing of a produced show-segment VC is consistent with the timing set forth in the corresponding log. This issue may be further complicated by the fact that a show-segment VC of a live news program is particularly susceptible to having a shorter or longer than expected duration, such as due to a news anchor talking slower or faster than expected, and/or such as due to the addition of breaking news. One approach to addressing this issue involves the NPS providing to a producer, a target duration and a pacing duration for a portion of a live news program as it is being produced. The producer may then relay this information to a news anchor. The pacing duration may be dynamically calculated, such that the news anchor may adjust his or her speed to produce a show-segment VC with the target duration.